A driver who races for AMattheis Vogel in NASCAR Brasil, Gabriel Casagrande finished third in the Sprint Race that decided the starting grids for the fourth round of the 2026 season, held at Velocitta in Mogi Guaçu (SP). The owner of car number 83 was one of the session’s standout performers, consistently among the fastest as the starting positions in the interior of São Paulo were determined.
The Sprint Race features two preceding phases to determine the six drivers who will start the short race. In his group in Q1, Casagrande was the fastest, advancing to Q2, which brings together the five best from each group. The Paraná native recorded the fourth-best time and secured his place in the weekend’s shorter race.
Lagging in fourth place in the five-lap race, Casagrande surged to the front in the opening meters, and battled for the victory until the final meters, crossing the finish line in third place, just 0.588 seconds behind the winner. The driver highlighted that he completed fewer laps than his rivals in the classification, an important factor since, in NASCAR Brasil, the same tire set is used for the entire event.
“Third place is a positive result for the Sprint. We are carrying a heavier car, and on a circuit like Velocitta we use the slipstream on the long straights and at restarts. Here in NASCAR Brasil we have to finish the weekend with a single tire set, so every lap matters. In Q1 I did one fewer lap, and that allows us to have a bit more rubber for the rest of the weekend. We will chase two solid results tomorrow to stay among the championship leaders,” said Gabriel Casagrande, who is sponsored by Jupiter Batteries, Axalta, OnPetro, STP, Cresol, RP Info, UFI Filters, Chevrolet and OMP.
The NASCAR Brasil will run both weekend races on Sunday. The first is scheduled for 9:00, while the second starts at 14:15. SBT will broadcast the first race, while ESPN will show the second. YouTube and Disney+ will stream both races.
